COMMUNITY DIGEST

SSHS senior political showcase

Siloam Springs High School senior English students will be showcasing commercials they are creating to inform the public about the various ballot issues in Arkansas at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5. The public is invited to attend.

English classes

First Baptist Church Siloam Springs will offer English classes for adults, beginning Monday Aug. 6. Classes are from 6 to 7:45 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. All who enroll are evaluated the first time they attend. They will be in classes which will fit their needs. Some students come with no English, while others speak English and want accent reduction. There is no cost for the classes, although each student will pay for their book at cost over several weeks. There are activities for children of all ages on Wednesday. No childcare is provided on Monday. Children do not attend the classes with their parents as this makes it harder for parents to learn English. English classes meet in Room 122 on the lower level of the church building. Enter from the lower parking lot on the west side of the building. There will be signs posted. Teachers are trained and certified through the National Literacy Partnership and the North American Mission Board. This will be the third consecutive year of the literacy program at First Baptist under the direction of C.L. Pickle. She has previously led literacy programs in Virginia, Georgia, and Texas. Pickle is a state-wide trainer under the Arkansas State Baptist Convention. For more information call “C.L.” Pickle at (479) 373-1426 or Stewart Pickle at (479) 228-1298. People from any language background are welcome. Sí, hablamos español.

Writers to meet Aug. 13

The Siloam Springs Writers Guild will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, at First Baptist Church, 2000 Dawn Hill Rd. The Writers will be sharing stories and poems they have written. Assignments to be emailed to sswgsisp@gmail.com by Aug. 1 are: Prose — Visit to the Seashore and Poetry — A Children’s Poem. For information about the guild or the Roy Chesney Poetry Contest, contact sswgsisp@gmail.com.

Free lunches

Grace Episcopal Church will be serving free lunches at 11 a.m. every Saturday until Aug. 11 at the Farmers Market in downtown Siloam Springs. Lunches will also be available at Spring Valley Apartments and at Grace Episcopal Church. For more information, call 479-524-8782 or visit the church’s table at the Farmers Market.

CHESS sign-up fair

CHESS (Christian Home Educators of Siloam Springs) information and sign-up fair is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Siloam Springs Public Library. Those who are interested can drop in to join, renew or sign up for the upcoming year’s activities. Group representatives from the surrounding community will also have information about services and opportunities for homeschoolers. For more information, visit chess. wildapricot.org.

SSRH Auxiliary volunteer drive

Siloam Springs Regional Hospital Auxiliary is looking for willing volunteers for the information desk, obstetrics department, radiology department, surgery department and materials management. The Auxiliary offers an opportunity to help the community while working three or four hours a week. Stop by the front desk of the hospital for an application or call Barbara Ferguson for more information at 479-212-3615.

Coffee with the Commander

Each Saturday morning from 8:30 to 10:30, Siloam Post 29 of The American Legion hosts “Coffee with the Commander.” A time for those who served to enjoy the camaraderie that they experienced during their time with “Uncle Sam.” The event is held in the basement of the American Legion Community Hall located at 110 N. Mt. Olive. The coffee and donuts are fresh, the conversation is usually lively, jolly and informative. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and greet local Veterans who are still serving their Veteran Community. For more information visit SiloamPost29.org or contact Jim Wilbanks at 850-520-0225.

Friends of the Library Bookstore

Summer reading programs are beginning at Siloam Springs Public Library. Friends of the Library Bookstore urgently requests donations of good used books of interest to children from toddlers to teens. The primary mission of the bookstore is to support these summer reading programs.

The bookstore always has a great assortment of gently used books, CDs, DVDs, audio books — most priced under $2. Signs in the library will guide patrons to the bookstore area which is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Donations of used books and electronic media in good condition are always welcomed. The bookstore is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers and all proceeds are used to benefit the library.

Coat drive

New and gently used coats and sweaters of all sizes, especially children’s sizes, are being collected for those in need. They will be distributed at the clothing giveaway at Eastgate Church of Christ from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. Items also are offered to nursing home residents and students at local schools. All coats will be cleaned by Snappy Dry Cleaners. Coats can be dropped off at the office of Dr. Susan Vaughan, at My Family Eye Care, located at 820 Stateline Road in West Siloam Springs, or at Snappy Dry Cleaners located at 618 Holly Street, or at Eastgate Church of Christ located at 1997 East U.S. Highway 412. For more information, call Joyce at 918-422-5811.

Yoga classes

Bridges to Wellness and the Siloam Springs Parks and Recreation Department are sponsoring Yoga classes. Classes will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday nights at the Moss House located at 311 S. Mt. Olive Street. The cost for classes is $3. For more information, call Sarah Losh at 479-549-3143.

Fire Department feedback

The Siloam Springs Fire Department has announced a new Emergency Medical Services Customer Survey. This will allow individuals who have been treated by a city ambulance to provide honest and confidential feedback about their experience. Customers can provide valuable insight and feedback into the Fire Department’s performance.

“Our goal is to constantly strive to improve the quality of the services that we provide to the citizens,” said Siloam Springs Fire Department Chief Jeremey Criner. “The feedback that we receive will be an integral part of our quality improvement program.”

If you’ve had any interaction with the City’s EMS crews, please take a few minutes to fill out the EMS Customer Survey at siloamsprings.com/199/Fire

Senior Activity Center

The Siloam Springs Senior Activity & Wellness Center invites anyone older than 60 to come to the center for lunch.

The center is located at 750 Heritage Court. Cost for lunch is $3 donation per meal. There is an exercise room and game room for guests’ enjoyment. If you need a ride, the center’s van can pick you up. Call 479-524-5735 for more information. Menus and activities calendar is available in the lobby.